Location
Medina Njama, Jokadou District, North Bank Region, The Gambia
Community Description
Medina Njama is a small community of 20 family compounds totaling around 450 people, in the Jokadou district of the North Bank Region, The Gambia. The village is a multi-ethnic community consisting primarily of Wolofs, but there are a few Fula compounds as well.
The primary source of income for the community is the farming of groundnuts, coos, maize and a small amount of animal rearing and breeding. However, there are also businessmen and women working within the village as bitik owners, tailors, bakers and other small time entrepreneurs.
Situated 1 kilometer north of the main highway system, and well separated from its neighboring communities, this highly rural village is incredibly reliant on the one and only existing hand-pump, which is located in the center of the village surrounded by all of the compounds.
If a villager wants to fetch water she must go to the well and pump the tap for 15 minutes before any water will begin to come up, and then when it does it is at a very slow rate. This is very time-consuming and arduous work, as pumping up and down on these taps is quite difficult. Also, it proves to be impossible for some of the younger and older citizens of the village.
Project Description
This project is to repair the existing hand-pump in Medina Njama.
The work on the pump will be a general overhaul and replacement of parts, including the interior chain, the cylinder, and several of the smaller parts.
The work will be done by Ebou Singateh, one of the local pump repairman who lives in the village, in coordination with the Medina Njama Village Development Committee (VDC).
Project funds will be used to purchase all materials, help with costs of transporting said materials to the village, and to pay a small fee for the skilled labor.
The VDC will continue gathering funds from the compounds for the upkeep and future repairs of the pump.
The village will pay for the necessary cement to fortify the platform and the trough, as well as the labor for same.
Project Impact
450 people will benefit from the project.
Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Wells Brown
Comments
This important project will allow a greater number of people within the village to become more self-sufficient by giving them access to potable drinking water. It will save a lot of time and effort for all villagers responsible for collecting water for the daily needs of their families.
Dollar Amount of Project
$500.00
Donations Collected to Date
$500.00
Dollar Amount Needed
$0.00 – This project has been fully funded, through the generosity of The Soneva SLOW LIFE Trust as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative.
We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify Peace Corps Volunteer Wells Brown of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by Wells and/or those other PCVs in the country of service.
This project has been finished. To read about the conclusion of the project, CLICK HERE.